United States Hardcore
U.S.H.C. is where hardcore punk fans of all ages converge as we’re moshing to the finish line. The magazine and website feature articles based on the hardcore punk genre and the American culture surrounding its music.
The primary audience is composed of individuals aged 18 to 50 who hold very strong and often political views and opinions, including dissatisfaction with suburban America and the hypocrisy of American culture.
Featured articles include stories on the genre’s origins, new artists, upcoming shows, interviews with band members, top 10s, band artwork, influential artists, and general news about what’s going on in the world of this insane genre.
To avoid the splashy styles found in punk zines of the 70s and 80s, I’m designing with a modern approach that appeals to the veterans of the genre as well as the newcomers. It doesn’t contain extensive articles. Instead, it features short ones relating to multiple points of interest amongst readers.
This modern approach means utilizing a predictable grid system, large high-intensity images and clean, san-serif typefaces for the most part. Also, when half of the primary audience is composed of millennials and other computer-centric individuals, designing for the web is a must.
As media consumption is moving away from printed material and toward the digital world, most of U.S.H.C.’s content is made available through the online magazine, allowing users to read the same articles with added features only available on the web.
An example of a featured page on U.S.H.C.’s website is the Interviews page. This shows some of the latest interviews with band members and others involved in the genre of hardcore punk.
There is a page dedicated to bringing young new artists into the spotlight. From here, you can check out some of their music, as well as see when they’ll be playing a concert near you.
Although U.S.H.C. still screams that classic hardcore punk feel, it now makes the artists and their music more accessible through modern forms of media consumption. This is allowing them to finally get the recognition they deserve. So feel free to jump in, because we’re moshing to the finish line.
